White, Evangelical, Pro-Life Couple Gives Birth to Black Triplets

It’s no surprise that Aaron Halbert’s essay on the Washington Post website has already generated tons of comments. In the controversial piece, Halbert, an evangelical Christian, recounts how he and his wife made the decision to adopt first a black son and biracial daughter, and later two African-American embryos from an embryo bank—which, after one embryo split, resulted in triplets.

Although Halbert and his wife have able to conceive their own biological children, the couple had wanted to adopt from the beginning.

“Knowing that it is often more challenging to find adoptive homes in the United States for non-Caucasian children, we informed the agency that we were willing to accept any child except a fully Caucasian child,” writes Halbert.

Of his decision to create a racially diverse family, Halbert writes, “We see the human family’s varying physical characteristics as awesome reminders of God’s creative brilliance. It’s not that we think race doesn’t exist, or that we don’t see it. In fact, it’s the opposite—we see it, and we embrace it.”

He goes on to say, “There is something beautiful and enriching being the only white face sitting and chatting with some of my African-American friends as my son gets his hair cut on a Saturday morning. There is also something wonderful in the relationship that is built as my wife asks a black friend on Facebook how to care for our little biracial daughter’s hair.”

So how did the Halberts go from adopting black infants to black embryos? It was their strong pro-life beliefs that led them to the idea. He says that he and his wife were deeply moved by the idea of “rescuing these tiny lives created from in-vitro fertilization” that would otherwise be destroyed.

“If Christians—or others—really believe life begins at conception,” writes Halbert, “it follows that we should respond by being willing to support embryo adoption and even take part in it ourselves.”

What’s more, Halbert says that they were “intrigued” by his wife Rachel being able to experience pregnancy. Now the Halberts, who are currently serving as missionaries in Honduras, have a family of seven, which Halbert sees as “a little hint of heaven.”

Of course, plenty of readers disagree with this characterization, instead decrying the Halberts’ actions as self-serving and an example of “the white savior complex.”